1. Field of the Disclosure
The present invention relates to an input device of a washing machine and a control method of the same.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Washing machines are electric appliances which wash or dry clothes, cloth items, beddings and the like (hereinafter, laundry). Here, a single washing machine is referenced to as an apparatus capable of performing only washing or drying or performing both washing and drying.
Recently have been released washing machines including a steam supply device to have a refresh function of removing wrinkles, unpleasant smell, static electricity of laundry.
A conventional washing machine includes a cabinet and a control panel. The cabinet defines an exterior appearance of the washing machine and a user inputs various commands through the control panel. Specifically, the control panel allows the user to select washing courses and the selected washing course enables washing automatically performed according to a preset condition. Here, a plurality of washing courses may be preset in the washing machine.
FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating an exterior appearance of a conventional washing machine. Describing the exterior appearance of the washing machine in reference to FIG. 1, the conventional washing machine includes a cabinet 1 and a control panel 10. The cabinet 1 defines an exterior appearance of the washing machine and the control panel 10 is provided on a front or upper surface of the cabinet 1 for a user to input various commands.
The control panel 10 includes a rotary knob 11, a plurality of selection buttons 12, a display 13, a power button 14 and a start button 15. The user selects washing courses, rotating the rotary knob 11 and the user also selectively adjusts specific selection of the washing courses through the selection buttons 12. The display 13 displays an operational state.
Here, the washing courses are washing conditions preset to perform washing according to an object of washing selected by the user and the kind of laundry fabric. Commonly, a plurality of washing courses may be preset in the washing machine, for example, a normal, sanitary, quiet, sheet, baby clothes, lingerie/wool and functional clothes wash. If the user selects one of the washing courses, corresponding washing is performed according to the temperature and washing time preset in each corresponding washing course.
The user may select one of the plural washing courses according to an object of the washing or the kind of laundry fabric and washing may be performed automatically according to the selected washing course. That is, the washing courses enable desired washing of laundry to be automatically performed even without the user's selection of specific conditions of washing, for example, the temperature and amount of water, the repeated number of washing, rinsing and dry-spinning.
The control panel 10 may include an encoder (not shown) connected with a circuit board, that is, a rotational center of the rotary knob 11 to generate a different control signal according to each rotational angle of the rotary knob 11.
Here, each of the control signals is corresponding to each of the washing courses. A washing course display part 16 may be provided adjacent to the rotary knob 11 to display the washing course corresponding to each of the control signals in letters. An LED 17 may be provided between the rotary knob 11 and the washing course display part 16 to make the selected washing course display part 16 to be luminescent as the rotary knob 11 is rotated. As rotating the rotary knob 11, the user can adjust a desired washing course to be selected, using the LED 17 and the washing course display part 16.
However, according to the conventional washing machine having the above configuration, the number and kind of the conventional washing courses should be determined in manufacturing the washing machine, because the washing course display part is printed on the surface of the control panel. After the manufacture of the washing machine, it is impossible to change the number and the kind of the washing courses.
The washing courses are preset washing methods corresponding to the user's request or the kind of laundry fabric. The user's request or the kind of laundry fabric could be changeable according to the times. If a new washing course is added, the user should purchase a new washing machine inconveniently.
If the print is erased, the user might have difficulties in selecting washing courses because he/she fails to identify which washing course is selected. This could results in a serious problem when using the washing machine.
A washing course display part provided in the conventional washing machine is printed on a surface of the control panel to display washing courses. Because of that, the exterior appearance of the washing machine happens to look substantially less luxurious.
In addition, if the user operates the control panel of the conventional washing machine in a dark atmosphere, the user cannot see the washing course display part printed on the surface of the control panel.